148 Global Ethics for Leadership
10.3 Accepting Difference: A New Textbook for Students
The second practical project that provides a certain framework for
dealing with the challenges that threaten the spiritual and intellectual
freedom and security of our times are generating an alternative narrative
to that of the extremist ideology through textbooks for schools and uni-
versities, as well as designing courses for educational institutes, policy
makers, media and the forces—these courses allow us to understand our
shared histories, respect the other (religious, ethnic and gendered) and
engage with them in positive ways. One example is the book Accepting
Difference (published in 2015 by Emel Publication). This textbook, for
young people aged 16 to university-level, shows how we can teach the
next generations of young people how to understand and respect the
ethnic, religious and gendered “Other”. Of course, teaching the tools of
dialogue are vital in areas like FATA where there is such like exposure
to such ideas yet ideas around ilm, adab and insaaniyat form the basis of
these people’s religion and culture—the idea is also to uncover all those
examples in local history of heroes that bind humanity—ones which
take a high stand and points to examples of people who celebrate diver-
sity.
Accepting Difference explores important concepts such as diversity,
empathy and dialogue and encourages young students to become peace
builders and peacekeepers. The book explores the rich cultures, religions
and ethnicities of society. Dr. Tamara Sonn of Georgetown University
writes, “Accepting Difference is a brilliant work with transformative
power. As its subtitle—Uncovering a Culture of Diversity—indicates, it
goes beyond simply advocating pluralism. It demonstrates that the
Quran not only accepts but cherishes diversity.”